Corpns plan protest outside Delhi House

Demand tabling of finance commission's report to ease their financial crisis

Starting Wednesday the municipal corporations are all set to stage protests for the next three days outside Delhi Vidhan Sabha against the delay in tabling the fourth Delhi Finance Commission’s recommendations, formed in 2009.

While the North Corporation will stage a dharna on Wednesday, the south civic agency has decided to demonstrate on Thursday. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation will protest on Friday. Sources say that the fourth Delhi Finance Commission’s aims at increasing the share of civic agencies in city government’s taxes.

The three mayors said that the finance commission was constituted to review the financial position of the municipalities and make recommendations regarding the sharing of net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied by the Delhi government.

“Tabling of the recommendations of the fourth Finance Commission becomes more relevant keeping in view of the financial crisis being faced by the civic agencies especially the North and East Corporations, said South Corporation Mayor Subhash Arya.

 “The commission also contains recommendations to rationalise tax and non-tax rates and introduce new revenue generating measures,” Arya added.

East Delhi Mayor Harsh Malhotra said the tenure of the fourth Finance Commission was extended to give additional recommendations and terms of reference in consideration of trifurcation of the corporation.

No interest
“The commission also had to give recommendations with
regard to the distribution of assets and liabilities of MCD among the newly-created three municipal corporations.

However, the Delhi government is not showing interest in tabling report of the commission in the Legislative Assembly,” said North Delhi Mayor Ravinder Gupta.

Implementing the recommendations of the finance commission will help in upgrading the functioning of the corporations, avoid duplication of responsibilities between the city government and civic agencies.

“Most importantly, the financial crisis being faced by the corporations will ease off if the recommendations of the finance commission are implemented. It will increase the global share of the corporations and that is the reason why Delhi government is not tabling it,” Gupta added.

The three leaders unanimously demanded that the
report be immediately tabled in the Assembly and implemented else the financial position of the corporation will get worst affecting primary services.

“The civic services might come to a collapse, a hint of which was seen in the strike of sanitation workers. The only person responsible for the situation will be the Delhi Chief Minister.”